Valves of the heart are currently replaced either by artificial valves of a range of designs or animal tissue valves, with or without some artificial material incorporated. Both artificial valves using artificial materials and biological materials have shortcomings including the need for lifelong anti-coagulation to prevent the formation of clots in the eddies formed by the mechanical function of the valves, potential for mechanical wear and/or failure, release of wear debris into the bloodstream, excessive noise and difficulties encountered during implantation. Further shortcomings include destruction of red blood cell cells as blood passes through such mechanical valves.
Tissue valves are difficult to manufacture and require harvesting suitable tissue, the need to treat the tissue to prevent the transmission of infective agents. Further, such valves suffer the degradation of tissue with time through either immune response or calcification as well as difficulties encountered during implantation.
The present invention aims to address the problems encountered with the prior art valves.
Any discussion of documents, acts, materials, devices, articles or the like which has been included in the present specification is solely for the purpose of providing a context for the present invention. It is not to be taken as an admission that any or all of these matters form part of the prior art base or were common general knowledge in the field relevant to the present invention as it existed before the priority date of each claim of this application.